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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

If your medication was due on Monday what day would you order it?

62 replies

Shoot4theMoon · 02/02/2023 09:19

My sons repeat sleeping medication is due on Monday I tried to order it today as I assumed the general rule is 48 hours for dr to approve and around the same for the Pharmacy, it was rejected for ordering to soon! My drs are closed on weekends. Did I really order too soon? If your medication was due on Monday when would you put the order through ?

OP posts:

ObjectionSustained · 02/02/2023 11:06

I order about 4 days before they're due and I have a Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 controlled drug in my myriad of medications.

My surgery and pharmacy are closed of a weekend so if it's due on the Monday I'd order yesterday/today, so that does seem odd! When have they said you should order? Can't they just do the script and post date it for Monday?

ObjectionSustained · 02/02/2023 11:13

I just lie a lot and say we are going away so need it early to take with us.

That doesn't always work with controlled drugs. I have morphine tablets and liquid, they are super strict on when you're ordering them, even if you tell them you're going on holiday.

melj1213 · 02/02/2023 12:05

I would definitely order by today at the latest for Monday - I have 4 regular prescriptions every month and always order my repeat prescriptions on the NHS app direct to my nominated pharmacy (I work in a supermarket with a pharmacy so get it sent directly so I can pick it up when I am at work). There's a section to leave a comment so I always pop a note in if I'm ordering a few days earlier than normal with something like "Ordering early due to weekend/holiday closure meaning I can't order at normal time" and they always approve them.

I would be ringing the surgery and asking them to look into it - our surgery asks for 48hrs processing time (though usually they're done within 24hrs) and the pharmacy asks for 48hrs too (though they do work at weekends and is usually done as soon as they get it) so if I needed it for Monday then Thurs/Fri for GP processing and Sat/Sun for pharmacy processing and I can pick up on Monday

FarmGirl78 · 02/02/2023 12:06

I'm NHS and we advise to reorder with a week in hand. So we'd say the Monday before.

However, when they're saying "too early" what they're actually meaning is due to what they've already prescribed, even allowing for a bit of an overlap, your son shouldn't be needing more yet. Did you or the chemist request it maybe a week or so ago and the script got lost in transit so it never arrived with the Chemists? Like a duplicate request for some reason? Or is it a cream for eczema or something that he's using too requently?

This is a safety thing so you can't stockpile or use too much meds, its not them saying "You've given us to much warning". Phone them. It might be a mistake on their part when they've been checking when the script was last issued.

SisterAgatha · 02/02/2023 12:07

At my GP, 14, 7 and 5 days in advance and they still forget. Then queue on the phone or go in and get patronised while they make you beg for very basic and standard care in the most undignified manner they can.

so my pharmacy order it for me and that works.

Kolakalia · 02/02/2023 12:08

It's daft, if you need it on the Monday and it takes time to be sorted then obviously you can't order on Monday and get it the same day.

Ask for postdated prescriptions. I have a regular prescription that's something they can only give in certain quantities, so I have to have it every fortnight. To save me having to order it every two weeks and them have to do it every two weeks they do a batch, sign four scripts off at a time and then it's sat waiting on the spine so that on the day it's due it's already sat waiting and I can go to any chemist to get it.

I don't allow mine to be sent to a specific chemist because it's such a faff, they might be closed or not have it in stock which leads to delays, or I might not be in that area when I need to get it (Travelling for example). I always have mine done on the spine so that I can go to any chemist. Might be worth postdating on the spine?

FarmGirl78 · 02/02/2023 12:08

And yes, as @melj1213 says, if you're ordering too early for a reason such as a holiday, (or if you're me, because you've lost the bag of tablets you only picked up yesterday!) give a reason on the form and they'll usually still sign it off.

wonkylegs · 02/02/2023 12:11

I have to put repeats in at least 3working days in advance for our surgery - they issue straight to the pharmacy and that's how long the turnaround is.

I can order up to a week in advance or longer (if I'm on holiday/away) if I phone rather than putting in the request online.

Greendoorsaremyfavourite · 02/02/2023 12:27

I aim for at least 5 days. Its 48hrs for the GP to process then extra time for the pharmacy in case they need to order in.
If it's before the medication is actually due, our GP send the prescription but date it for when it's due. Pharmacy won't dispense it until then, but get it ordered.

Cherrysoup · 02/02/2023 12:28

Went to get mine on a Thursday, they didn't have enough so asked me to go back on Monday, so I guess asap?

Ariela · 02/02/2023 12:44

We have to order a repeat prescription at least a week in advance, the doctors take at least 3 days to review and send, pharmacy is so far behind that even then when you go and collect a couple of weeks later it's still not made up.

TheGoogleMum · 02/02/2023 12:48

I'd allow 3 working days, so I'd have tried to order yesterday

longwayoff · 02/02/2023 12:51

I order a week before and ask them to note I dont want it dispensed until the due date.

maddy68 · 02/02/2023 12:53

The week before

Fairyliz · 02/02/2023 12:55

I order my medication two weeks in advance to allow for turnaround. Unfortunately over Christmas that wasn’t long enough and it actually took 2.5 weeks, but then my surgery and local pharmacy are both shit.
I managed to borrow some pills from a relative and then paid them back when I got my prescription. I’m sure you are not supposed to do that but as I couldn’t get through to the doctor that was the only option.

plumduck · 02/02/2023 12:57

1 week. If it's too early the GP just does it the next day etc

Badger1970 · 02/02/2023 12:58

The monday before. Our Drs surgery takes 4 working days to process repeat prescriptions.

Qazwsxefv · 02/02/2023 13:04

Can you log in on the nhs app and see when it says you should be able to order (also says usually when you last ordered and how many doses you received)? Is there some mix up where they thought you had a months supply but you only have 28days or something like that?

Are you on repeat ordering at the pharmacy and they’ve already ordered it for you and it’s waiting for you?

If the system has you running out on Monday it should be letting you order today…

if it’s a controlled drug and you’ve lost some and you are “ordering early” it is going to need a phone call to the doctors to sort out because of the restrictions around controlled meds.

Cupcakequeen75 · 02/02/2023 13:09

Collected my latest medication yesterday.
Notice on pharmacy counter stating medications will be available for collection between 2-5 days from receiving prescription from doctor.
Didn't state "working days" but as pharmacy is open 7-days it doesn't need to.

viques · 02/02/2023 13:12

I walk up to the local pharmacy and drop a note off 48 hours in advance. They are pretty good though and would probably do it in less if needed. Luckily the surgery is in the same building so any problems can be sorted easily. Must be a pain if the pharmacy/surgery are remote or don’t communicate.

SlipperyLizard · 02/02/2023 13:13

My GP used to require 2 clear working days to issue the repeat (still does) but now our local pharmacy says they need 7(!) days from when they receive it from the GP.

PaddyDingDong · 02/02/2023 13:15

Shoot4theMoon · 02/02/2023 09:24

@Judashascomeintosomemoney Sunday he will run out and not have a bedtime dose for Monday

Thats very tight ! I'd get this prescription then in a weeks time say you lost it to get another pack to keep as spare r

ChicCroissant · 02/02/2023 13:15

Who said it was too early - the surgery or a cental ordering line?

There is usually a date that they won't write a prescription before, but it doesn't sound as if it is that unless you have used more medication than the prescribed doseage.

Redbone · 02/02/2023 14:07

Three working days at ours.

MontyDonsBlueScarf · 02/02/2023 14:28

I'm amazed at the service some of you are getting. Round here we have to order from the GP a week and a half before we need the medication. If you order online it usually gets sent to the pharmacy within 24 hours, but the pharmacy struggles with staffing and supply issues and needs a week's notice to be sure of getting it in. Even then they can't always manage it and will have to give you a partly filled prescription and an owing note.

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